Substance Abuse Treatment: Gone Astray

in the Service Array?

Sid GardnerNational Center on Substance Abuse & Child Welfare

Sharon DiPirro-BeardSacramento Department of Health & Human Services

Jay WurscherOregon Child Welfare Alcohol & Drug Services

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A Program of the

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Center for Substance Abuse Treatmentand the

Administration on Children, Youth and FamiliesChildren’s Bureau

Office on Child Abuse and Neglect

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Agenda

• Welcome and Introductions• Use of Data at the Policy Level• Substance Abuse in CSFR• State Baseline Example: Options for Data Analysis and

Policy Choices Using Existing Data Sources• Case Study: Sacramento County Dependency Drug

Court• Case Study: Oregon Child Welfare Alcohol & Drug

Services• Discussion

Uses of Data at the Policy Level

• Using cross-cutting, interagency data is often more challenging and more useful than single-agency data sets

• For example, drug/alcohol treatment capacity can be compared with child welfare treatment demand/referrals – (in response to the widespread perception that “there are no

treatment slots, so why record the need?”)– In virtually every case, treatment availability numbers are 2-3

times greater than child welfare demand or estimated need

Substance Abuse in the Children &

Family Services Review (CFSR)

The CFSR Service Array and Substance Abuse

• 28 of 30 states referenced substance abuse in their assessments

• 16 of 16 PIPS referenced substance abuse issues

• But states’ prevalence numbers in CFSR case reviews were far lower than states’ own estimates of need

• And states’ AFCARS data on substance abuse range widely, from 4% up to 66% of foster care caseloads

What’s in YOUR self-assessment for CFSR?

• CAPTA numbers?– Confirmed prenatal exposure referrals to CPS?– Referrals of 0-2 year olds for developmental

assessments—and what services they received?• An estimate of the treatment gap for parents

with child welfare cases? • A comparison of AFCARS % with other

states?All of these are available from federal data

items—but most are not reported annually

The missing numbers

• CAPTA data listed above• The treatment gap and/or reunification gap• Total CW clients now entering treatment• Progress made by CW clients in treatment:

positive outcomes, dropouts• % of women entering treatment compared

with other states (a partial proxy for CW clients)

• % of 0-1 year olds entering foster care

Use of Data from CFSR Assessments and Plans

• At state and local levels, CFSR outcome gaps can be compared with treatment availability—how many more successful treatment completions would move the needle toward meeting CFSR goals?

• In three counties, the treatment slots needed to impact CFSR targets was only 1-2% of treatment resources already available in the county

• This reframes the discussion of the “treatment gap” to a discussion of policy priorities for child welfare families and two-generation, family-centered treatment, as adopted in policy changes in Arizona and Sacramento County

• Using data from these two sets of information about the prevalence of substance abuse shows a wide variation among states—and a low overall capture rate of data on the problem

CFSR Data and AFCARS Data on Substance Abuse Impact

TEXT PAGE*In Round 1, these data were not included in the first cohorts of States reviewed, it was an added item in subsequent States.

Parental Substance Use Cited as Factor in Child Welfare Case

Parental or Alcohol Drug Abuse as Factor in Cases of Child Removal

Substance Abuse as Primary Reason for Case Opening

2007 AFCARS DataParental Alcohol or Drug Abuse as Factor

in Cases of Child Removal(N=190,900 Cases)

CFSR Round 1 Review2001-2004

(N=50 Cases)

CFSR Round 2 Review2007-2010

(N=65 Cases)

State Percent Percent PercentA 4.4 16 20B 5.8 16C 9.2 2D** 10.0 8E 11.8 4 14F 42.6 2G 46.4 18H 51.0 8 31I 58.0 8 8J** 63.6 27

State Baseline Example:Options for Data Analysis and Policy Choices Using Existing

Data Sources

The purpose of analysis

• To refine estimates of the total treatment need among parents from the child welfare system (and others who may be at risk of entering the CW system)

• To clarify assumptions about need, engagement, and system capacity

• To specify a range of proven need, from data documented in state agency records and estimates based on other data sources

The ingredients of analysis

• CFSR goals• CWS/CMS data on substance abuse need• CalOMS analysis of CW/DDC client outcomes• Assumptions about client retention and final

treatment outcomes• Conversion of case counts to children and

parent counts

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Starting point analysisStarting Point Number

needing treatment

[converted to parents]

Entered treatment

Positive treatment

completions

CWS cases with SA treatment in plan

28,051

CWS foster care population (62,528)If need =27.8%=If need = 67%=(28,436 entries 08-09)

45,020

12,51630,163

Treatment clients referred from CW/DDCs

6,998 2,525

CFSR reunification gap 5,558

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What Does CWS Say?

SA Case

Inter

vention Rea

son

SA Se

condary Rem

oval R

eason

SA Case

Plan Contrib

uting Fact

or

SA Case

Plan Se

rvice

Objective

SA Case

Plan Plan

ned Se

rvice

Activity

SA Se

rvice

Contact T

ype

SA Clien

t Condition Ty

pe (Minors

Only)0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

'05

'05

'05

'05

'05

'05'05

'06

'06

'06

'06

'06

'06'06

'07

'07

'07

'07

'07

'07'07

'08

'08

'08'08

'08

'08'08

Substance Abuse (SA) Documentation in CWS by Year2005 - 2008

Coun

t Onc

e pe

r Cas

e

What Does Treatment Say?

• Of 166,441 unique clients entering treatment in 2008,– 6,998 were identified as referred from CW or DDC

sources– Of these referred clients, 36.1% (2,525) achieved

positive outcomes in treatment– This compares with all other clients who achieved

35.1% positive outcomes

Specifics of the Formula

• Total caseload: 101,025 open cases • x 27.8% whose case plan mentioned SA in

case plan service objectives = 28,051• x 50% who will enroll once referred to

treatment = 14,025• x 36.1% who will complete treatment with

positive outcomes (CalOMS rate)= 5,063

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1,000 Children – 720 Parents in Substantiated Cases

27.8% of Parents Need SA treatment200

50% Enroll in treatment100

36.1% Achieve Positive Treatment Outcomes

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Actual Reunifications

Payoff

Dropoff Points

19

TEXT PAGE

97,507 Children= 70,205 Parents in Substantiated Cases

27.8% of Parents Need SA treatment19,517

50% Enroll in treatment9,758

36.1% Achieve Positive Treatment Outcomes

3,523

Actual Reunifications?

Payoff

Dropoff Points

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System-wide Improvements

• At least 4,500 CWS parents are already entering treatment

• To increase positive completions requires– Better identification of need through screening

and assessment– Better client engagement and retention practices– Improved treatment quality to meet the specific

needs of families from the child welfare system

• Current rate 12-month reunifications : 62.4%= 11,537/18,484

• National target: 75.2% (13,900)• Gap between current and target level: 2,363• Child-parent ratio conversion: .72= 1,701 parents• Eliminating the reunification gap through

treatment completions requires additional 4,725 treatment entries

• That level of new admissions = 2.4% of total treatment admissions [assuming no overlap, which is obviously significant, with 7,000 CW entries documented 2008]

The reunification gap

Resources

• “Connecting the Dots: How States and Counties Have Used Existing Data Systems to Create Cross System Data Linkages” Webinar

http://www.cffutures.org/webinars/connecting-dots-how-states-and-counties-have-used-existing-data-systems-create-cross-system

• Schuerman, J.R., Needell, B. (2009). The Child and Family Services Review Composite Scores: Accountability off the Track. Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago.

• Child and Family Futures Data Dictionary

Case Study: Sacramento County

Dependency Drug CourtPresented by:

Sharon DiPirro-Beard

Program Context

• Sacramento County population: 1.5 million

• Between Oct 07 and Sept 08 there were 2118 child abuse/neglect intake petitions filed

• An estimated 70 to 80% of child welfare cases

involve families affected by substance use

Sacramento County’s Comprehensive Reform

Six Components of Reform1. Comprehensive Cross-System Joint Training2. Substance Abuse Treatment System of Care3. Early Intervention Specialists4. Recovery Management Specialists (STARS)5. Dependency Drug Court6. Early Intervention Drug Court (EIFDC)

Sacramento County Prior to STARS and Dependency Drug Court

• 36 Month Reunification rate at 26.0%

• Parents unable to access substance abuse treatment

• Social workers, attorneys, courts often uninformed on parent progress

• Drug testing not uniform and results often delayed

Sacramento County after STARS and Dependency Drug Court

• 36 Month Reunification Rates 45.7%

• Reunification is occurring faster

• Parents truly have “treatment on demand”

• All parties involved in the case are informed at every stage of treatment

• All parents receive random observed “instant” drug testing

Data Sources and Tracking CWS clients

in Treatment

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Data Sources

• Measured outcomes are arrived at through the culmination of data from:– Preliminary Assessments

– California Outcomes Measurement System (CalOMS; the CA version of NOMS)

– Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS; SACWIS in other States)

– Home Court and Dependency Drug Court

– STARS Intake and Twice Monthly reports

Matching Records

• From the 19 digit CWS/CMS identifier a 10 digit identifier for parents is automatically generated through an extract run from CWS/CMS, which creates a text file that is sent to ADS

• The Drug Court Coordinator matches the 10 digit identifiers with parents that have appeared for STARS and DDC services. – If any identifiers cannot be matched, the identifiers are

sent back to STARS for more information

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Matching Records

• At intake, STARS creates a 10 digit Unique Participant ID for parents receiving STARS/DDC services– This 10 digit identifier is the same format of what

would be entered in CalOMS and generated by CWS/CMS

• ADS matches the 10 digit ID from CMS/CMS with the STARS/DDC database on the parents

Matching Records• Use of CalWORKs (TANF) Funds

– Clients receiving STARS services can be claimed through CalWORKs substance abuse treatment funding

– STARS client list is sent to Department of Human Assistance to identify individuals with open CalWORKs cases. Matched cases are sent back to CPS to claim a percentage.

– CalWORKs allows for clients to receive services even if children are not in their parent’s care.

• DHA must be notified within 30 days that children have been removed. If children are removed, and the parent is still receiving treatment services, DHA will keep the CalWORKs case open for 6 months. Otherwise, the case will be closed.

– A CalWORKs works with CPS to integrate CalWORKs for their clients. A CalWORKs coordinator is now located at the STARS site. If CalWORKs has been terminated, the coordinator may be able to reinstate services

Data Extraction

• The 10 digit Parent Identifier is matched to CalOMS Unique Participant ID to extract treatment data

• Treatment data is only extracted for a cohort of data. CFF Evaluator sends a “cohort” list to ADS, plus alternate IDs for aliases. ADS imports data into an Excel database and sends data to the CFF Evaluator.

• CWS/CMS Special Projects page, Project Start Date is used to extract and send placement reports to CFF for children whose parents entered DDC/STARS

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Analyses

• The CCF contracted Evaluator combines treatment data, STARS intake and twice-monthly report data, and child placement data into an Excel database for SPSS analyses

Confidentiality

• Release of information names all agencies involved in the DDC/STARS team– County Council reviewed and approved the form

• Data utilizes Unique Identifiers, and does not include identifying information (e.g. names)

• Data shared and transmitted for evaluation is encrypted and password protected

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Evaluation Findings

111

324249 274

448 442 400305

173

432 428485

741 731605

489

0100200300400500600700800900

1000

Comparison CO YR1 CO YR2 CO YR3 CO YR4 CO YR5 CO YR6 CO YR7

Parents Children

PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN THE EVALUATION

36 Mos

36 Mos

36 Mos

12 Mos

36 Mos

Source: CWS/CMSComp Parents = 111 Children = 173 DDC Parents = 2,442 Children = 3,911

36 Mos

36 Mos

293.2

114.5

200.2

83.9

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Total Time in Treatment** Days Per Treatment Episode*

Days

Comparison Court Ordered

* p<.05; **p<.01 Source: CalOMSComp n=111; DDC n=2422

TREATMENT OUTCOMES: TIME IN TREATMENT

differences not significant Source: CalOMSComp n=111; DDC n=2422

TREATMENT OUTCOMES:DISCHARGE STATUS

36 MONTH CHILD PLACEMENT OUTCOMES

26.033.5

12.71.7

17.38.7

45.7

26.7

7.31.9 5.1

13.5

0

20

40

60

80

100

Reunification*** Adoption Guardianship** FR Services Long-Term Placement***

Other

Perc

ent

Comparison Court-Ordered

**p<.01; ***p<.001 Comp n=173; DDC n=2086 Source: CWS/CMS

Comp n=173; DDC n=2086 Source: CFSR, CWS/CMS

RE-ENTRY TO FOSTER CARE RATES

24 MONTH COST SAVINGS DUE TO INCREASED REUNIFICATION

What would have happened regarding out of home care costs in the absence of DDC?27.2% - Reunification rate for comparison children48.6% - Reunification rate for DDC children= 603 fewer DDC children would have reunified

33.1 - Average months in out-of-home care for comparison children 9.02 - Average months to reunification for DDC children= 24.08 months that DDC kids would have spent in out of home care (OHC)

$1,849.16 – Out of home care cost per month 603x 23.88 x 1849.16 =$26,850,247 Total Savings in OHC Costs

Case Study: Oregon Child

Welfare Alcohol & Drug Services

Presented By: Jay Wurscher

Intensive Treatment Recovery Services(ITRS)

• How are child welfare/treatment data and outcomes connected to the State level assessment of need for substance abuse treatment and capacity to serve child welfare clients?

• How are child welfare/treatment data and outcomes connected to the State level CFSR process (the CFSR Final Report or the Program Improvement Plan)?

• How is this data being used in conversations between the state level treatment and child welfare agencies?

ITRS Key Findings

• Drug and alcohol treatment for the parents of foster children plays a critical role in determining when a child can safely return home.

• Over 40 percent of children whose parents are or were involved in treatment have achieved physical reunification.

• For children who have reunified, children of ITRS-served parents have a shorter length of stay in foster care compared to the prior biennium’s group of foster children whose parents received AMH treatment services.

Discussion